BEHIND THE CRAFT
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Behind the Craft - Goddess Cybele

Known as the Mother of the Gods, or ‘Magna Mater’, the origins of Cybele’s mythology lie not in Rome or Greece but in Phrygia, part of modern day Turkey.

Cybele was born as a result of a liaison between the Sky God and Earth Mother themselves and became known as the mother of all life and all other gods.

As her mythology spread beyond Phrygia, the Greeks identified similarities with their own mother-god, the Titaness Rhea, and the goddess of the harvest, Demeter.

As a result, Cybele became worshipped as a goddess of fertility and the wildness of nature as symbolised by her constant companion, a mighty lion.

FG24CYBSP10OZ

2024 Goddesses Cybele 10oz Silver Proof Coin

ONLY 250 COINS WORLDWIDE

East India Company’s exclusive Goddesses series continues with Cybele, Mother of the Gods, all life, all people, and all beasts.

The East India Company - Collections

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Despite originating from ancient myths and legends the Goddesses inform our modern lives more than we maybe realize. Their stories of family drama, wars fought by great dynasties, love found and lost, the worlds of nature and magic and the realms of gods and men feature fantastical creatures, characters and moral codes that inspire our contemporary imaginations and way of life.
• A strictly limited edition of just 250 coins worldwide
• Ten ounces of sparkling 999 fine silver
• Breath-taking 80mm diameter
• Struck to our highest Proof quality finish
• Bespoke presentation case and storytelling booklet
• Exclusive new design by Joel Iskowitz
• Cybele with her sacred animals; Lions

Product Detail

Despite originating from ancient myths and legends the Goddesses inform our modern lives more than we maybe realize. Their stories of family drama, wars fought by great dynasties, love found and lost, the worlds of nature and magic and the realms of gods and men feature fantastical creatures, characters and moral codes that inspire our contemporary imaginations and way of life.
• A strictly limited edition of just 250 coins worldwide
• Ten ounces of sparkling 999 fine silver
• Breath-taking 80mm diameter
• Struck to our highest Proof quality finish
• Bespoke presentation case and storytelling booklet
• Exclusive new design by Joel Iskowitz
• Cybele with her sacred animals; Lions

Specification

  • Alloy

    Fine Silver - 999Ag

  • Denomination

    £10

  • Weight

    10oz

  • Authority

    St Helena

  • Diameter

    80mm

  • Edge

    Milled

  • Issue limit

    250

  • Total Mintage

    250

Stories

Goddess Cybele

A key figure in the story of Cybele’s connection to the natural world is Attis, the Phrygian god of vegetation, fertility and rebirth. Cybele fell in love with Attis and made him promise to never leave her. However, the youthful Attis didn’t take his pledge too seriously and soon fell in love with a princess who he asked to marry him.

Cybele, in a jealous rage, wreaked havoc on the wedding and Attis, scared for his life and the safety of his wife, fled to hide in the mountains. Here, wracked with guilt at the error of his ways, he went slowly mad before castrating himself and committing suicide.
When Cybele discovered Attis’ body lying cold at the foot of a large pine tree she was overcome with sadness remorse for what she had done. She visited the mighty Zeus and begged him to never let Attis’ decay, that his youth and beauty be ever preserved. As a result, new violets sprung into life around the pine tree, cementing Attis’ mythology as a god of agriculture and new life.

Joel Iskowitz’s illustrative design sees Cybele riding her chariot upon a throne adorned with carved lions, drawn across the night sky by three mighty lions who represent Cybele’s easy relationship with the wildest elements of nature.

The breath-taking 80mm diameter of this 10oz Silver Proof coin creates the perfect canvas for the beauty of Joel Iskowitz’s design, with every intricate detail emphasised by our finest Proof quality finish.

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